Lotus 265E

Dubbed the 265E for the 265 bhp and the ethanol that helps to produce it.

Lotus is testing an E85-powered Exige, dubbed the 265E — for 265 bhp and the ethanol that helps to produce it. That makes this the most powerful factory Exige. But it's not all about the power — it's also about the environment, as E85 is 15-percent gasoline and 85-percent ethanol.

To power the Exige with E85 required minor modifications to the engine. Unlike flex-fuel vehicles for sale in the U.S. that can run on either E85 or standard gasoline, the 265E runs only on E85 and as such is optimized for it.

As E85 has a lower power density than gasoline, it requires roughly 25 percent more fuel to make the same power. However, it has a high octane rating, allowing the Roots-type Eaton M62 super-charger (the same used on the Exige S) to pack in more boost. Larger fuel injectors and the addition of two extra injectors to the intake of the compressor supply the extra fuel needed, while those extra injectors also help to cool the supercharger.

This additional power comes at a price — fuel economy. With the stock fuel tank and the extra power production, we wouldn't expect this Exige to have much beyond a 200-mile range. It's also a little hard to find E85 at racetracks, making this most powerful of Loti somewhat impractical. Thus, for now, it's just a test. But maybe there's hope for the future.